It’s interesting that the first specific healings recorded in Matthew’s Gospel involved people who are outsiders and considered unclean. First, the leper, suffering from a skin disease kneeled in front of Jesus asking to be healed. Remember that lepers were kept isolated from everyone else because of the Law of Moses. Yet he had the faith to come before Jesus to ask to be healed. The second was a centurion, a Roman military commander in charge of 100 men. He obviously knew the law quite well as he knew it would break the Law of Moses for Jesus to enter his house.
Who did Jesus help out first? Those on the outside as far as everyone else was concerned. How welcoming are we, as a church, to those on the outside - to those not like us? Look around the church this weekend and notice the people who are there. For the most part you will find that they are just like you. The question is: How can we be more welcoming to those on the ‘outside’ of our congregation?